Introduction: Catechist Rajanaikan was the chief means of introducing Protestantism into Tanjore [ C.M. Agur, B.A, Church History of Travancore, S.P.S.Press Vepery, 1903, p.435]. Majority of Church Historians except a few like Mr. J. Ferd. Fenger, C.M. Agur and Stephen Neil, have failed to give the deserving place and importance to the catechist Rajanaikan who was responsible to take the Gospel of Christ into the kingdom of Tanjore. Even though Rev Ziegenbalg wished to preach the Gospel in the kingdom of Tanjore he did not succeed in entering into the kingdom of Tanjore for preaching the Gospel. His successor Rev Benjamin Schultze got an invitation from the prince of Tanjore, but he could not leave Tranquebar where he had so much urgent responsibilities, But God used a man who was despised by his fellow countrymen on the ground of his so called low birth; to open the way for preaching the Gospel into the kingdom of Tanjore and his name was Rajanaikan [ . J.Ferd. Fenger, History of Tranquebar Mission, Tranquebar, Evangelical Lutheran Mission Press, 1863, p.174]. Present day Christians do not have any idea about catechist Rajanaikan and the service he rendered and the price he paid for the cause of spreading the Gospel in Tanjore and its surrounding villages. Naturally it must be the moral responsibility of all fair-minded Tamil Christians belonging to the CSI Trichy and Tanjore Diocese and TELC, and also other fair-minded Indian Christians to remember catechist Rajanaikan and thank God for him.
Catechist Rajanaikan's Parents and Birth: Sinneianpaleiam was the native village of Rajanaikan. Rajanaikan's parents lived in Chinneianpaleiam [Ibid. p. 185]. and his blessed parents gave birth to Rajanaikan, in the year 1700. [ Stephen Neill, A History of Christianity in India, Cambridge University press Cambridge, Vol. II, 1984, p.42] Rajanaikan's parents were Roman catholic Christians. and later Rajnaikan's parents and some of his relations joined the Evangelical Church in 1728[ Danish Halle Mission at Tranquebar] and took part in the Lord's Supper in Tranquebar, This action cost his father, his life in 1731 { J. FERD. FENGER, op.cit... p.p. 185-186]
Mr. Rajanaikan was Baptised in a Roman Catholic Church: Catechist Rajanaikan's grandfather remained as a heathen until he reached the age of 30, and then he joined the Romish Church {Roman Catholic Church]. When Rajanaikan's father was born he was baptised in a Roman catholic Church and similarly when Rajanaikan was born he was also baptised in a Roman Catholic Church. Rajanaikan's family loved the Holy Xavier so much and they built a Chapel to Xavier's honour, and in which, service was conducted morning and evening. In short catechist Rajanaikan was born in a Roman catholic family and was brought up in Roman Catholic tradition [ Ibid. p 175]
Rajanaikan Learned to Read: Mr. Rajanaikan was very curious to learn about new things and ideas. By his own exertions learned to read Tamil in the twenty second year of his age [C.M.Agur. op.cit.p.434] together with his younger brother Mr. Sinappan,[ J.Ferd. Fenger, p. 175].
Rajnaikan was an Under officer in the Service of the King of Tanjore: Rajanaikan served as an Under Officer in the service of the King of Tanjore. and he lived in the town of Tanjore but at times he was sent into the country on different duties [ Ibid. p. 174] We can infer that in those days the military force of the king of Tanjore was consisting of soldiers from all communities.
Rajanaikan came to know about the cause of the suffering of Christ: on the Cross: Rajanaikan took great fancy and relentless interest for reading the books of the Romish Church and his younger brother Sinnappan followed his example. All the palm leaf books that were given to Rajanaikan to read contained the Pappal histories of saints, the miracles of Virgin Mary, and only a few about Christ. When Rajanaikan read of what Christ had suffered for men; almighty God caused a new emotion and spark in his heart, and he began to meditate on Sin and began to fear God's judgement. Then he became very anxious to know about what happened before the birth of Christ in this world, up to the time of Moses. and so Rajanaikan requested the Romish priests to lend some relevant books to read about Moses. but the Romish priests replied that they neither possessed nor knew of any such books. When Rajanaikan begged the Priests, they said to him that it was of no use to request them because the books of Moses do not exist in Tamil. Mr. Rajanaikan's ambition was not fulfilled. [ Ibid.p.175].
Rajanaikan Got the Four Gospels Fortunately at this time that a Catholic mendicant monk, by name Sittananden, visited Madewipatnam in the year 1725 and Sittananden had a book containing the four Gospels and Acts of Apostles with him [ Ziegenbalg's Translation of the New Testament, 1st part, Tranquebar, 1714] As soon as Rajanaikan saw the book, he showed Sittanadaen, great regards and said'" Eh, what is that, Sittananden said that he got that Book in Mylapur. This was untrue He had actually received this book from Rev. Schultze in 1724. Mr..Rajanaikan requested him to leave the book with him for a few days. and he granted Rjnaickan's request. Sittananden told Rajnaikan, " you can keep it for your own reading but do not show to the priest " Mr. Rajanaikan's joy found no limit, he instantly began to read the book all day and then from evening till midnight by a light. Moreover Rajanaiken copied the gospels of St Mathew, Mark, and part of Luke, so that he can return the book if needed by Sittananden, But Sittananden did not return to Tanjore and Rajanaikan left off copying the book. [[i] Ibid. 176 & 177, [ii] Stephen Neill. Opcit. p. 42& 43].]. Rajanaikan thought it was one of the books of the Romish Priests. But while reading that book, the text poured oil upon his faith and caused it to burn brightly. [ Ibid. 177].
Rajanaikan was blessed by God to receive all the books he immediately wanted to read: Rajanaiken bought a book, written by Ziegenbalg, [Tranquebar, 1717] for one fano. from a papist by name Schawrimuttu and the book was in the form of a letter addressed to all Malabarians. and Schawrumuttu told Rajanaikan that he got it from a German priest. So Rajanaikan told Schawarimuttu that he wanted to meet the German priest and requested him to bring another book. Accordingly, Schwarimuttu brought another book written Ziegenbalg on heathenism and Rajanaikan paid him the price of the book. Then Rajanaikan wrote a letter to the German priest, and sent Schwarimuttu to the Geerman Priest, with the letter, Schwarimuttu brought a Theology book authored by Freylinghausen [ Tranquebar, 1716] but he did not give the letter to the German priest. Rajanaikan paid the price money to Schwarimuttu but understood that he was a deceiver. Yet Rajanaikan gave him a letter to the German priest and requested Schwarimuttu to bring a large book, but Schawarimuttu returned without any book and told Rajanaikan that the Priest required 4 Fana before they would send the book. Rajanaikan gave 4 Fano and also a letter to the Priest but sent another man as a messenger to follow Schawarimuttu . The messenger returned with some news to him. Rajanaikan sent a letter to the book-Binder Johann. Johann sent a reply and a large Catechism [ Abstract of Spenser's Explanation of the Catechism to Rajanaikan., [Tranquebar 1719]. Schwarimuttu kept with him all the letters written by Rajanaikan . After reading Johann's letter Rajanaikan wrote another letter to the Priests and sent it by his new messenger. The priest sent the Books of Moses and moreover the second part of the Old Testament [ Tranquebar, 1720 and 1726.]. With great joy Rajanaikan went to Tranquebar with his brothers to the German priests and received the Epistles and Gospels bound up together [ The whole New Testament.]. Rajanaikan conversed with the German priests and cleared his doubts regarding Romish and Evangelical creeds. [ J. Ferd. Fenger, pp. 177- 179].
Rajanaikan Joined the Evangelical Congregation: After having six months discourse with the German Priests {Danish Halle Mission Missionaries] partly by writing and partly by oral conversation, he returned to Tanjore. He studied the Bible and spontaneously he was convinced and persuaded to leave the Roman Church. When he revisited Tranquebar in 1728, Rajanaikan joined the Evangelical Congregation and became a servant of the Evangelical church. [ Ibid. p. 179]
Rajanaikan Led Three of his Soldiers into Christian faith: Even before Rajanaikan formerly joined the Evangelical Church, he came to Tranquebar with three of his soldiers, who have given up the worship of the idols and wished to be baptised. The German missionaries told him that these men must be instructed better and learn the important parts of the small Catechism and so he left those three soldiers in Tranquebar for some days to be instructed; and he begged the missionaries to take sincere effort to finish their instruction in a week, and to let him know when they were to be baptized.. The missionaries gave the best instructions and coaching to these soldiers and within 10 days, they learned the commandments, the article of faith, the Lord's prayer, and the explanation of baptism in the small Catechism. They sent a messenger to Rajanaikan and he speedily came to Tranquebar. The soldiers professed their faith openly before the Congregation and were baptized and they returned the next day to their duties. [Ibid. pp179 and 180].
Rajanaikan was Employed as a Catechist in the Tanjore Territory: During this period the influence of Tranquebar Mission spread out into the adjacent kingdom of Tanjore, .an area in which already many Roman Catholic Christians were living. And many of the Roman Catholic Christians were attracted to Protestantism by reading the books printed at the Mission Press at Tranquebar or through the persuasion of those who already became protestants, and prominent among them was Rajanaikan [ Cyril Bruce Firth, M.A, An Introduction to Indian Church history, ISPCK, 2013, Delhi, p. 138]. In line with his religious conviction Rajanaikan resigned his military position and went from Tanjore to Tranquebar and he was employed by the Danish Halle Mission as a Catechist in the Tanjore territory; and catechist Rajanaikan's brother Sinnappen was assigned as an Assistant to Rajanaikan After that Rajanaikan took part in the Lord's Supper at Tranquebar for the first time, and then he left the missionaries who advised him to be steadfast and promised to pray for him. [ Ibid. p. 183].. Then he went to Tanjore to his work in Tanjore.. Rajanaikan was especially useful in spreading the knowledge of Christianity in dominions of the king of Tanjore, particularly at the time when the missionaries could not obtain permission to go into the interior of the kingdom. In 1749 Tanjore was besieged by the French, but Rajanaikan remained with his sheep as a good shepherd. God gave him the grit to remain and to bear the hardships of the siege. He left the suburbs and took refuge in the fortress as his house with many others, but his shelter was pulled down by the King's command and he lost everything even his books. During the siege he remained near the ditches and did not allow to pass day without exhorting both Christians and Heathens. He performed Divine Services every Sunday, and prayed for the Kiing and for the citadel, which was saved. When the danger was over, nine, Adi-Dravida suburbs gave him full permission to preach the gospel among them. [J. Ferd. Fenger, op.cit. pp. 280 &281]. The Protestant Christianity began to grow in the surrounding villages of T
anjore.
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The Challenges faced by Catechist Rajanaikan: The moment he left the Romish church and joined the Evangelical mission, Rajanaikan became a thorn in the eyes of the Roaman Catholics but now as an employed Catechist of the Danish Halle Mission he became doubly so. He faced many challenges and questions from the Roman Catholic priests, and he wisely replied and escaped [Ibid. p. 181]. The Roman Catholics became extremely angry with Rajanaikan. and they went to Rajanaikan's native place Sinneinpaleiam and troubled his parents and tried to pull down his house but the inhabitants of all castes interfered and prevented them from pulling down his house. As they could not pull down his house, they declared that Rajanaikan had lost his caste. and forbid his relations to have any link with him. The Danish Mission missionaries wrote to Father Beschi on the subject and exhorted Rajanaikan to show patience and he followed their advice, but his persecutions continued with great bitterness for many years. [Ibid.p. 185]. I have already mentioned that his parents and some of his relations joined the Evangelical church in 1728 and this action cost his father his life, in 1731 a number of armed papists attacked his father and his relations under a pretext of a quarrel about a some property, while his father was trying to defend his youngest son from the attackers he was overpowered and he was beaten severely and after two hours he died[ Ibid, pp185 and 186]. His enemies sent some killers to kill Rajanaikan in the year 1732, to his house at night, but however Rjanaikan escaped. The glad news is that today the hatred between Catholic church and Protestant church has vanished to great extent and there prevails good understanding between them..
Conclusion: Rajanaikan's spiritual life and appeals us like an excellent novel. Rajanaikan's patience and long-suffering were blessed by God, he won many souls for Christ, and amongst them some of them were his unkindest and violent enemies. Rajanaikan had a thorough acquaintance with the Bible, he was a powerful and soul winning preacher. In 1736, when one of the Danish Halle mission missionaries was ill, he took his place in Jerusalem Church in Tranquebar and preached on Matt. XVI, 18, explaining that the Church is built on the rock of Christ and that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. [Ibid, p. 186]. But in-spite of catechist Rajanaikan's sincere and fruitful evangelical work, his sound biblical knowledge, witnessing spiritual life; he was not ordained because of his so-called low caste status. Rajanaikan led hundreds of aimless sheep into Christan Church and into the kingdom of Christ specially from the villages around Tanjore, and majority of his converts were from his own caste. In 1766 Rajanaikan was severely ill for eight weeks and by Rev Schwartz's instruction he was removed from Tanjore to Arentangi, where he lived for some years in full activity and died on the 29th September 1771, His death took place on Sunday after he had performed the services and visited a sick man. In the afternoon he was attacked by severe pain, and he died with these words on his lips, ' Lord Jesus, receive my spirit' after serving the Danish Halle Tranquebar Mission for more than 40 years [ J. FERD.FENGER, op,cit. p 281]. Now the descendants of those who were converted by catechist Rajanaikan are doing well and have progressed in education, culture, spiritual life, etc,. The author of "History of the Tranquebar Mission" Mr. J.Ferd. Fenger, calls Rajanaikan as a " Remarkable Man". It is not possible to accommodate all the important chapters of his real life within the space of this Blogpost and so I will end this blogpost with the following sentence: "Dear and respected Catechist Rajanaikan, you were a remarkable man of God, and we thank God your fruitful life"
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P. Babu Manoharan, M.A,. [ All the rights are reserved. This Blogspot will be enlarged, modified or corrected later if needed].
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